After the Pageant
by iloveJesusJohnnyandDanny
Summary: What happens after the Miss Teenage Happy Princess Beauty Pageant? Are the girls still mad at Danny, or is it someone else?
1. Note

**Okay. I forgot my disclaimer on my other story so… I guess I have to do it on this one. I don't own Danny Phantom. Okay, now that that's done, I just got finished watching Beauty Marked, and even though I've been making this story for like 3 weeks (and haven't written it down. I'm sooo stupid), I had the sudden urge to put it on fanfic. So make not I'm trying to remember all of this so please don't yell…I'm trying! So here is chapter one.**

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Danny walked through the halls of Casper High. It was the day after the Miss Teenage Happy Princess Beauty Pageant, in which Danny was the judge.

"So, do you think all those girls want to scratch my eyes out still?" Danny asked his two friends.

"I don't know, but you we're gonna have to pick someone. It just happened to be me," Sam answered.

"Uh, but by the looks of it, they may still be mad," Tucker pointed to a mob of girls surrounding Danny's locker.

"Oh great," Danny sighed.

He cautiously walked up to the girls, "Uh, hi." He laughed nervously, "do you, girls need something?"

In a split second the girls had yanked Danny up to his locker and he was being pushed and held up against it.

"Uh, I take it your still mad," Danny winced.

"You didn't think twice about who you picked, Fenton! How could you pick her," Paulina pointed at Sam.

Sam put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, Fenton! You'd better pick again, or you'll be too blind to see the light of day!" Star plunged her razor sharp nails in the air in front of Danny's face.

"I uh-," Danny began.

"Briiiiiiiiiiiing!" the bell rang.

Paulina growled, "This isn't over Fenton!" Then she dropped Danny and stomped off to class.

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. He laughed slightly, "Yep, their still mad."

"Dude, you just got beat on by a bunch of girls," Tucker began to laugh.

Danny glared at him, and began to collect his books.

"Wow Danny, I think just about every girl in the pageant was there," Sam commented as they walked to class.

"Yeah, except for you and Val."

They got into class just as the bell rang. Every girl in the room shot Danny wicked glares as he sat down. Danny ignored them_, "What could a bunch of girls do to me anyway?"_ he thought.

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Danny somehow lived through the boredom of classes before lunch. He got more evil glares as he walked to his usual lunch table holding what was supposed to be some kind of meat and vegetables (but Danny could have sworn he saw it breathing and move once. School lunches are always weird)

"Ya know, after a while, all the stares begin to look the same," Danny said, looking over at Ashley sticking her tongue out at him.

"Just ignore them. There all preppy, shallow freaks anyway," Sam began to eat her salad.

Once or twice during lunch a girl would walk past him and jab him in the back or something. He would get some food thrown at him, or he'd get some strange lip syncing.

He ignored it as best he could, but after a while it just got annoying.

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The end of the day finally came. By then, Danny knew just about every hatred stare anyone could give him. He opened his locker to see a pink note fall out. It smelled strongly of perfume and had neat handwriting with hearts dotting the I's. It read:

Dear Danny,

I really like you, but I've been too afraid to tell you. I'm much better at writing than at talking. I'm not a people person. But anyway, I'd like to tell you tomorrow after school. So meet me just east of the entrance okay? See you there.

Love,

Your Cupcake.

Danny stared at the strange letter for a second before receiving a loud "What!" from Sam.


	2. Time to Meet

"What is this about? Who's this "Cupcake?" Are you hiding something! Daniel Fenton, you'd better tell me!" Sam screamed.

Danny was trying his best to get home, being followed by a bunch of angry girls, having Sam scream at him, and to top it all, it was raining.

Danny slouched, miserably, ignoring Sam's outbursts, until. Finally, it became too much. **"SAM! WILL YOU STOP! I DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE THIS LETTER, GIRLS ARE FOLLOWING ME EVERYWHERE THREATINING TO KILL ME, AND _YOU'RE_ NOT MAKING IT ANY BETTER! SO JUST STOP IT!** Danny screamed, throwing his hands up.

Sam stopped her ranting. Danny walked away from his two friends in a huff. They just stared at him, unbelievably.

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Danny stomped into his house and up the stairs, not even bothering to say "hello" to anyone. He threw his bag on the ground and sprawled out on his bed. He sighed. Now that he'd done it, he really wished he hadn't yelled at Sam. He hated it when they got in fights. He could have calmly said it, or he could have ignored her until she calmed down herself, but NOOOO he had to yell. He scolded himself over and over.

There was a knock at his door. "Danny?" It was Jazz, his sixteen year old, annoying sister.

"What do you want Jazz," Danny replied angrily.

"Can I come in?"

Danny sighed again, "Fine."

Jazz came in to see her brother sitting on his bed; an angry face pasted on.

"You okay?" she asked sitting next to him.

"Oh yeah, I just had to live through a day of girls threatening my life, weird letters and Sam screaming her lungs out at me. I'm just peachy," he glared at Jazz.

"So, those girls are still mad at you?"

Danny nodded.

"It'll get better. It's not like a bunch of girls can kill you or something?" Jazz laughed slightly.

Danny lightened up a little, "I guess your right. Thanks Jazz."

As much as he hated to admit it Jazz _did _know how to make him feel better, even if it didn't make since how she did it. She seemed to know Danny just a little better than everyone else and knew the right words.

"Well, I've got to go do my homework," Jazz flashed a smile at her brother and left the room.

Danny tried to focus on his homework, but his mind kept trailing off. "_Who could have given me that letter? Just about every girl in school hates me right know, so who wrote it. It wasn't Sam, I know that. I know, maybe it was Valerie! But Valerie, the ghost hunter, no it just didn't sound like her."_

Danny was deep in his thoughts when his ghost sense went off.

"I am the Box Ghost, master of all things square! You will not hold me in your cylindrical holding container," the chubby ghost yelled.

"Oh good, something to keep my mind on," Danny transformed into his ghost mode and started to eliminate some of his inner anger.

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The next day at school wasn't much different from the day before. When he got to his locker, though, Sam was the only girl there, leaning against the locker looking sullen and sad.

"Hey Sam," Danny greeted her.

"Hi Danny," she stared at the ground.

Suddenly, they both started screaming apologies at each other at the same time. It sounded like, "I'm sorry I yelled at, note was just a weird mistake and, I never should have been so, girls are stalking me, and I felt so guilty last night!"

They stared at each other for a second and then burst out laughing.

"You felt the same way as me?" Danny asked after they stopped laughing.

"Yeah,"

"Look, Sam. I'm really sorry for yelling at you. I shouldn't have gotten so mad," Danny apologized.

"Apology accepted, and Danny, I'm sorry I was yelling at you. You were already having a rough day and I only made it worse."

"Apology also accepted," Danny put his hand on Sam's shoulder, "but I still don't know who gave me that note?"

"I guess you'll have to see after school."

---------------------------- (After School) ---------------------- --------------------------------------

Danny walked out of the school.

"This is it," Sam commented.

"Well, see ya," Tucker waved as he started to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Danny asked.

"No girl is gonna talk to you with other people around," Tucker said, "but don't worry, you can tell us all about it when you get home."

"Good luck," Sam comforted him. (Reluctantly, but she still did)

Danny took a deep breath and turned the corner of the school. He was immediately grabbed and slammed against the brick wall.


	3. Revenge

Danny's world became fuzzy from being slammed so hard against the wall. He shook his head to regain his normal sight.

He looked down to see Paulina practically digging her nails into his torso as he held him against the wall. She held a disturbing grin on her flawless lips. Star and another girl pinned his arms against the wall, grinning just the same (although not quite as perfect). A brown haired girl with a purple shirt, and a purple and white stripped mini skirt walked up with a cloth and rope. Danny looked around, his eyes only to be met with the eyes of almost every girl in school.

"What! What are you doing!" Danny began to squirm, but the girls held him firmly.

Just then something clicked in Danny's brain, "You gave me that note! This was all a trick!"

"Yep," Paulina answered, "and now, Fenton, your going down!"

A few of the girls walked up to him. A few held belts, others were busy filing their nails, but about two or three held BB or pellet guns. Danny held his breath, they were about to get their revenge.

"Sam, Tucker! Help!" Danny cried, helplessly, although he knew they were already gone.

The purple girl slapped the cloth over his mouth and tied it securely behind his head. He tried to kick, but his legs were already tied together. Paulina let go so that Star and the other girl could pull his arms behind his back and tie them. He would feel the rough rope dig into his skin as he tried to break free. Danny cringed. _He couldn't hit a girl, he'd go to jail! _By now, he didn't really care about exposing himself. He was about to go intangible when he felt a shock go up his spine and penetrate his body. He cried out in pain as he fell to his knees.

Paulina stood above him laughing. She had a red glow to her eyes. She was holding a small green and grey devise. _The Plasmius Maximus! "_How did she get that? What's going on here?" Danny's mind was a confused heap.

"It's time for revenge!" Paulina began to laugh menacingly, as all the girls behind her began to step towards Danny.

"No! Stop! I picked who I wanted to. You can't do-" he was cut off by the slashing of nails, the crack of the belts and the fire of BB guns.

Anyone could have sworn they heard his screams even outside of Amity.

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**Oh poor Danny. I never knew a bunch of girls could be so vicious. Well, sorry for the short chapter. I'll update soon. Bye**


	4. Found

"I wonder why Danny's taking so long." Sam and Tucker had gone to Danny's house to wait for him in his room after his big moment.

"Maybe they went to a movie or something?" Tucker suggested.

"That doesn't sound very much like Danny. Besides there aren't any good movies out right now," Sam was getting a little concerned.

"Hey, guys. Where's Danny?" Jazz walked into her brother's room.

"He got a note from some girl that told him to meet her after school," Tucker answered her.

"But I thought a majority of the girls in school were mad at him," Jazz sat down on the bed. She, too, looked concerned, "And, that was almost two hours ago."

"Yeah, you're right," Sam thought for a second. Then something hit her and she shot up from her sitting position, "OMIGOSH you're right."

"Uh what's the sudden outburst for?" Jazz asked. She looked confused.

"Don't you get it?" Sam whirled around. She grabbed Jazz's shoulders and began to shake her, "All the girls in Casper High tricked Danny! They're hurting him! I just know it! We have to do something!"

"Sam, calm down. We don't know if they're hurting him. You have no reason to freak out," Jazz grabbed Sam's hands and peeled them off her shoulders.

Sam knew something was wrong with Danny. She could feel it.

Jazz kept jabbering on, but Sam paid no attention. Suddenly, she bolted out of the room.

"Sam? Sam, you get back here!" Jazz ran after Sam. Tucker shrugged and decided to follow.

"Sam! Danny's fine! He wouldn't want you to barge in on his date!" Jazz tried helplessly to get Sam's attention.

Sam kept running.

Soon, the school came into view. It was dark and lonely. There didn't seem to be anyone there. Almost like the perfect presence for a ghost.

Sam bolted around the corner she saw Danny turn a few hours before. As soon as she had, though, she halted to an immediate stop, staring at the sight before her.

"Sam!" Jazz ran up behind her, completely out of breath, "Danny's fi-"she also stared.

Tucker came up last, gasping for breath. He looked up, "OMIGOSH!"

Danny laid there motionless; unconscious. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. He was bleeding from head to toe and had huge slashes covering his frail body. His right arm looked broken, along with his left leg. There was a gigantic gouge on his side; and small holes, also everywhere that could be seen. His clothes were torn and bloodstained, so much so that one would think his shirt and jeans were red in the first place.

"Is that?" Jazz pointed a shaky finger at the figure, "Oh, please don't tell me that's-"

"Danny." Sam's eyes were large with fear and sadness, "What have they done to him!"

They stood frozen to the spot for a few seconds. No one saying a word.

Sam spoke first, "Tucker, go into the school. Call 911 and get help."

Tucker followed her orders and ran into the school. Sam ran up to Danny and knelt down next to him; she didn't even think twice about the blood seeping through her clothes.

He could see his chest moving, slightly. It wasn't going in a rhythm and it was shuddered and slow. She could feel a weak pulse and blood was still being pumped through his body (although, obviously, it wasn't staying_ in_ his body very long).

"Jazz, he's still alive. He needs to get to a hospital ASAP!"

"But what if they ask-"

"We won't allow blood tests! Now, help me carry him!" Sam was becoming impatient with Jazz's excuses. It was almost like she wanted her brother to bleed to death.

"Jazz! I can't carry him all alone," Sam's eyes were beginning to fill with tears.

Jazz ran up and grabbed his head while Sam held his legs. Tucker ran out with Mr. Lancer.

"William Blake's poetry! What happened?" He yelled after seeing the sight.

"Don't have time to explain. Tucker, did you call 911?" Sam asked, getting anxious.

Tucker nodded, still speechless.

"It'll be okay Danny. You'll be okay," Sam said, smoothing Danny's raven black hair, "You'll be okay."

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**Okay. Please don't kill me. This is how it happened in my brain a few weeks ago and that's how it's gonna be. Maybe I should rerate this story. Hmmm, well, sorry, but that's my brain. See you next Chapter.**


	5. I'm here with you

Danny could hear voices and soft beeping noises. He was in between unconsciousness and semi- consciousness. He couldn't move anything, but he could feel a pain running up his body. It grew larger and soon covered his entire body. It hurt like crazy, but Danny couldn't yell, his voice wouldn't make a noise.

As things got a little clearer, he figured out he was in a hospital. The beeping was a heart monitor and he had an oxygen mask. He could feel someone holding his hand; someone else was stroking his forehead. A tear hit his arm and he cringed, only able to move a little.

"Danny?" a voice said, "Danny? Are you awake?"

It was his mom.

He didn't answer. He couldn't answer.

He felt someone touch his cheek. It was his mom's hand.

"I can't believe what those girls did to him!" Sam started to yell, "It's not like Danny could hit a girl! He's too nice."

"Sam, stop. We all know what they did, and it won't help to talk about it around Danny," Jazz's voice was shaky, like she had been crying a lot.

Just saying Danny's name seemed to break Sam down. She started crying, not knowing Danny was listening.

Danny hated to hear Sam cry. He tried to move to comfort her, but all he resulted in was a small nudge to the right.

"S…Sam," was all Danny could get out.

He heard someone jump off a chair and run up to him. They grabbed his hand, "Danny?"

"Don't…cry,"

Sam fell onto his chest in a hug. Although, Danny asked her not to cry, she just cried more.

"Jack! Danny's awake!" Maddie yelled.

He heard two figures run into the room.

"Danny's awake?" his father yelled.

"Yeah, he talked to Sam," Jazz answered him. She glanced hopeful eyes at Danny.

The heart monitor started to beep differently as Danny had Sam on his chest.

"Sam, your messing up his heart beat!" Tucker yelled.

"Sorry," Sam got up, but stayed by Danny's side.

Danny tried to move again, "Mom?"

"Yes, Danny?"

"It's…so…cold."

Maddie got another blanket and wrapped Danny up.

Danny was still too weak to open his eyes or move too much.

"Do you need anything Danny?" Jazz asked, trying to sound calm.

"No."

"Oh, Danny! It must have been horrible to go through that. I can't believe a bunch of girls would hurt you like that," Maddie had sympathy for her son.

Danny was a little embarrassed about getting beaten by a girl, but it was a like 200 girls, _and_ he was tied up, so he guessed he couldn't do much. He would get sent to jail if he hit a girl anyway (unless she's a ghost).

He didn't answer his mom.

A doctor walked into the room, "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton? May I speak with you for a second?"

"Sure, doc," Jack and Maddie followed the doctor out the door. Maddie looked back at her son before she left.

"Jazz?" Danny moved his head to where he knew Jazz sat.

"Yeah?"

"Who…found me?"

Silence.

No one wanted to tell him they saw him covered in blood and more dead than alive. He might be embarrassed, or he may feel bad about making them suffer through seeing him like that. They knew how much he hated to see his family suffer.

"Um…," Jazz sighed, "Sam, Tucker and I found you." She had to tell him, he wanted to know.

"Thanks."

"Danny? I hope you don't mind if I ask, but, how exactly did those girls hurt you so much? But, I mean, if you don't want to answer you don't have to." Jazz was always so cautious.

Danny tried to get into a sitting position. (But, I mean, if you can't even open your eyes, how can you do that?) His friends had to help him out. They put pillows behind him, to steady him.

Danny sighed, his entire body hurt, but he wasn't going to yell. He had to explain what happened. His eyes opened just enough that he could see the others. All the color drained from his face as it flowed to the rest of his body. He began to feel extremely light headed.

Jazz caught his head as he fell forward, "Whoa, Danny. You lost a lot of blood. Don't use too much strength at once, little bro."

Danny smiled. He lifted his head back up.

"The girls… uh," he searched for the right words, "Well, they…" He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to exaggerate and he didn't want them to worry. He didn't want to seem like a weakling and he didn't want to go into too much detail.

"They…" Danny couldn't take it, "They tried to kill me, Okay? They…they brought belts and… do you know how sharp their nails are?"

Jazz and Sam laughed.

"But, they brought BB guns and pellet guns. Those really hurt too. Especially when there like 1 inch away from you," Danny tried to laugh.

"They, WHAT!" Jazz screamed, "They shot you with BB guns?"

"Yeah, I guess they're really mad at me," Danny smiled.

"Danny! They could have killed you!"

"Isn't this close enough?" Danny said, the pain getting to him.

"Danny! This isn't funny! They should go to jail for what they did!"

"Uh, Jazz? The authorities were already notified. The whole town knows what happened," Sam whispered.

Danny stared into space. He had a sad, pleading face on. He was as still as a statue and he was extremely pale.

"Ah, Dude? You okay," Tucker finally spoke up.

The heart monitor started to beep like crazy, yet Danny didn't move.

"Danny? What's happening?" Sam freaked right out.

Jazz ran to the door, "We need a Doctor! Get a doctor in here!" she screamed.

The doctor who had been talking to Danny's parents ran in, followed by the two elder Fenton's.

He took one look at Danny; grabbed a radio off the wall next to him and yelled, "Get doctors to room 133! Teen heart failure! ASAP!" He hung up the radio and ran over to Danny.

He lowered him into a laying position and started to pump on his small chest. The Fenton family and Danny's friends stared. They wanted to help, but they couldn't. They had to leave the job to the pros.

Three other doctors came in rolling a Defibrillator.

The first doctor grabbed the two hand things and started to rub them together. Electricity shot through them. He did this for a few seconds, then, he lowered them onto Danny's chest, causing electricity to shoot through his tiny body.

"Not working. We need to go higher!" the doctor yelled. One of the other doctors pushed it up a notch.

Doctor 1 repeated the task. Danny's body jerked as the electric pulse, once again, went through his body. This time the heart monitor changed rhythm.

The doctor took one glance at the monitor, then, sent another shock through Danny's body. Danny shot up, almost smacking the doctor in the head. Danny clutched at his chest as he started screaming.

"We need some pain medication!" the doctor told one of his assistants. She ran out of the room.

"Danny!" his family called out to him.

"Don't get near him!" the doctor blocked their path.

Danny looked at his family. His eyes were full of fear and pain. They seemed to be calling out to them for help. Help, help only family and friends could give him.

"No! You let me see my son!" Maddie pummeled over the doctor and lifted Danny into her arms. Whatever Danny was experiencing right now needed a touch of a mother's love to calm him down.

He squeezed his mom as he continued to scream. The pain rippling through his body was just too much for a 14 year old to handle.

"It'll be okay Danny. I'm here with you." Maddie stroked her son's hair.

The doctor who had left earlier ran back in, out of breath. She handed Dr. 1 the pain medication.

Mother and Son were ripped apart as he injected it into Danny's arm. It took a few minutes for the medicine to take effect. Danny finally stopped screaming and fell back onto the bed, completely exhausted.

All the doctors gave a sigh of relief and began to leave the room. Dr. 1 shot Maddie an evil glare before he left. She returned the glare.

Danny's breathing was heavy, signs of pure tiredness.

"Mom," he said.

"Yes Danny?" she sat down on the bed next to her son.

Danny smiled, "Thank you."

Maddie smiled back at her son, "I'll always be with you Danny. No matter what." She lightly hugged him.

Danny fell into a sweet unconsciousness in his mothers arms.

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Thank you, **Me The Anon One**, for helping me out. I'll update soon.


	6. Talk

Danny woke up, still in the hospital. He heard two girls arguing outside his room, but didn't pay much attention to it. He felt a lot better than yesterday. He actually looked at his arms for the first time since the attack. They were bandaged along with every inch of the rest of his body; from the mid section of his neck to the tips of his toes there was thick bandage.

He looked at his right arm. He just about freaked out when he saw an IV. Pain medication was constantly being pumped into his blood system._ What if they took blood samples? They'll know I'm half ghost! They'll start to test on me! What if they even kill me?_ Danny started to panic.

He finally noticed the voices outside. It was Sam and... Valerie?

"I just want to see him!" Valerie yelled.

"You were involved in that pageant! How do we know you weren't one of the ones who almost killed him?" Sam fought back.

"I wasn't I swear! Why would I hurt one of my friends?"

"I don't know, but we have no proof you're telling us the truth, Valerie! You may try to hurt him more!"

There was a long pause. Valerie seemed defeated.

"Sam, I just want to give him a get well present. Why don't you trust me?"

"I have my reasons," Sam had her arms crossed. She wasn't going to change her mind.

"Um, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Danny had managed to crawl out of bed and drag himself and his IV holder to the door. He poked his head out and looked at the two girls.

"Danny? You're awake," Sam tried to sound cheerful.

Valerie had tears running down her face from the earlier conversation. She tried to hide them in front of Danny, "Danny, I got you a get well, present. She handed him some flowers a balloon and a small box of chocolates.

"Thanks Val," Danny took the gifts graciously. He smiled, "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure,"

She shot Sam a hateful; "HA" glance as she walked past her. Sam mumbled something under her breath as she followed.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting too much company besides Sam, Tuck and the rest of my family," he looked disapprovingly at his ugly hospital clothes.

"It's okay. I won't stay long," Valerie seemed a little nervous.

"Um... I didn't see you with all the other girls, yesterday. It was yesterday right?" Danny wasn't sure how long he'd slept.

"Yeah, And I wasn't there. I wouldn't hurt you Danny. You know that, right?" Valerie put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah… right," he was a little doubtful. She only tried to kill him every other day.

"Well, it's getting late. I gotta go. See ya Danny," Valerie waved goodbye.

"Bye, Val," Danny returned her wave.

Danny fell to the floor after she left. He used all the strength he had to look fine in front of Val.

"Danny!" Sam helped him up and supported him as he got back into his bed, "You're stubborn, you know that?"

Danny smiled. He would often try to look better than he really was, just to seem stronger or cause a person no worry.

"Where did Mom and Dad go?" he asked.

"Oh, uh they went over to Paulina's house, they're pretty mad at those girls," Sam smiled innocently.

"THEY WHAT! They'll say something embarrassing or tell her something secret about me! I'll be the laughing stalk at school! And even worse my Dad might rip her apart!" Danny tried to bolt, but Sam held him down.

"Danny you are NOT leaving this room! GOT IT!" Sam pinned him down by the shoulder.

"But Sam! My parents they'll ruin my life! Ow!" Danny yelped as Sam's wrist bone stabbed his left shoulder, which had been hurt worse than the other.

"Danny! They won't do anything. They love you and wouldn't want to ruin your life. She released her hold on Danny and sat down.

Danny calmed down. He sighed. Sam was right. His parents cared. They wouldn't do anything to embarrass him too much… he hoped.

------------------------- ---------------------- (At Paulina's house) ----------------------------------

Maddie knocks on the front door. It's answered by a thin woman with thin, greasy black hair. She has a blue baby tee and brown baggy pants. She has purple eye shadow and pearl ink lipstick. She looks extremely peppy and full of energy.

"Hello?" she says in an almost annoying tone of voice. She's smiles.

"Hi. Are you Paulina's mother?" Maddie didn't smile. She had one hand on her hip; the other making swift gestures.

"Why, yes I am, and I do have to say, my daughter if absolutely perfect! Have you seen her? She has perfectly flawless skin. She gets it's after me you know," Paulina's mom went on and on.

Jack cut her off, "Do you know what your Daughter did to our son!"

Paulina's mom was taken aback.

"Jack dear, let me handle this," Maddie patted her husbands arm. Then, she faced Paulina's mom again, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DAUGHTER DID TO OUR SON!" She stuck a finger in her face.

"No I don't. What happened?"

"Don't you watch the news, Lady? Your daughter and her friends almost killed our son!" Maddie screamed.

"One: No I don't watch the news. Only low life's watch that. And two: My Paulina would _never_ try to kill anyone," Paulina's mom crossed her arms.

"May we come in?" Maddie asked through gritted teeth.

She moved out of the way so that Jack and Maddie could enter. Maddie stomped up to the T.V. and turned on the news. It was talking about the "Accident" with Danny.

"**Hello, I'm Harriet Chin with Today's Local News. Local Resident, 14 year old, Danny Fenton was almost beaten to death by a group of girls who attend his school; Casper High. He was found outside the school by his sister, Jasmine Fenton, and his two best friends, Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley. He was rushed to the hospital, in critical condition. **(It showed a video of Danny covered in blood being lifted onto a stretcher.)** He is on life support, but has woken up and is able to move. The girls are yet to be questioned and the authorities are still deciding weather they should be put in jail or not. Now here's Lance Thunder with the weather.**

Maddie snapped off the T.V. Paulina's mom gawked. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. Especially that video, the boy, which her daughter was clamed to be guilty of beating, covered in blood and more dead than alive.

"I…I don't… I don't know what to say," she stuttered

"May we talk to your daughter?" Maddie was still angry, but she held it in.

"Yes, but she has a few friends over. And don't ask her too much. I'm going to talk to her later," Paulina's mom led them up some blue carpeted stairs; "She's in the room last on the left."

"Thank you," Maddie faked kindness.

"Don't mention it," Paulina's mom ran down the stairs, "Charles! We need to talk!"

------------------------ ------------------ (In Paulina's room) ---------------------------- -----------

"So, tomorrow we'll go to have a huge party at your house," Paulina was planning the week with the rest of the popular clique.

"Yeah, and the day after that-" Dash was cut off by a knock at the door.

"Mom! I'm with my friends!" Paulina yelled, "So as we were saying."

"It's not your mother, Paulina. It's Mr. and Mrs. Fenton. We need to talk to you,"

"Fenton's parents? Why are they here?" Dash asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Paulina walked to the door and flung it open, "Yeah?"

Maddie had to hold Jack, as he tried to claw the girls head off.

"Paulina… can we talk in private?" Maddie asked, sweetly.

"Um… okay," all of her friends flooded out the door. Maddie dragged Jack in and shut the door.

Paulina's room was pink and yellow. Her bed had a pink comforter with yellow flowers on it, along with a pink pillow. She had various stuffed animals around her room and a desk with a pink computer. What Maddie noticed most though, was that her desk area was cluttered with Danny Phantom pictures and dangly objects. Her computers wallpaper was Danny Phantom. She had hearts that said Paulina + Phantom forever and she had a scrapbook filled with phantom articles and pictures. It was kind of scary.

"Paulina," Maddie sat down on the end of Paulina's bed. Paulina sat on the pillow on top, "Paulina, why? Why did you hurt Danny?" Maddie's eyes began to fill with tears.

"What, that loser? I didn't do anything to him," Paulina crossed her arms in denial.

"Don't play dumb with us, missy!" Jack's huge figure hung over Paulina's head, scaring her to death. She screamed.

"Jack, you're scaring her!" Maddie yelled at her husband.

"Maddie, don't you see? She's covering up what she did! She tried to kill Danny!" Jack tried to persuade his wife.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Paulina screamed. She was getting really annoyed, "I didn't even know something happened to Fenton!" Paulina stood up and flung open her door. She stomped out of her room and went downstairs. Jack and Maddie followed her.

She yanked open the front door and stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for the unwelcome visitors to leave.

"Paulina, please listen to us. Some girls at the school hurt Danny. You were one of them," Maddie handed her a newspaper she had brought with her. The front page article explained what happened. In the middle of the front page was a picture of Danny on the stretcher. Paulina stared at the picture and read the article in curiosity.

"Someone…would do this?" Paulina said after she read the article, "It wasn't me. I don't even remember what I did after school yesterday."

Maddie knelt down to Paulina's height, "Yes, Paulina, someone did this. They almost killed my little boy," Maddie closed her eyes as tears began to fill them. She looked away.

"_You did it! Jazz knows you did! She tells us how much you hate Danny all the time! Danny deserves better than this!_" All this ran through Jack's mind. He felt like attacking Paulina like a wolf does at dinnertime.

Maddie faced Paulina again, tears running down her face, "Paulina. If you _did_ do this, Danny needs to know you're sorry. Please?"

Paulina just stared at her. Maddie stood up, "Tell your mother I said "Thanks." She left the house pulling an angry Jack with her.

Paulina just stared at the retreating figures.


	7. School and Interrogation

It wasn't one of Danny's best ideas, to stand up while talking to Val. He had forgotten about his broken leg and now it hurt like crazy.

The doctors had sent him home. He should heal, but they sent home the breathing machine and heart monitor. He still needed those while asleep. They figured he would heal faster at home, but he had still had the IV and still needed pain medication.

Now he was sitting on the couch at home. He had constant company and constant, "You okay? Do you need anything?"

His body was stiff and he wanted to get up, but his leg was broken and his family wouldn't let him anyway. His mom always sat with him or almost always did.

He knew that his mom truly did care.

-------------------------- ---------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------

It had been about two days since he got out of the hospital. He was sitting on the couch and Danny was healing fast. Sam and Tucker were talking to him and keeping him company.

"Your mom said Paulina played dumb," Sam said, "As if _that_ isn't usual."

"Well, my parents said I was good enough to go back to school tomorrow. I guess we'll see then," Danny said. The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Maddie ran into the room and up to the front door. She opened it up and the three teens could see a shocked expression spread across her face, "Hello girls? Would you like to come in?" she said this a bit reluctantly.

In about a minute every girl in the pageant was in front of Danny. They looked…weird, like they were forced to come…actually Paulina was the only one that looked guilty.

"Uh…Hi," Danny smiled nervously, "do you need something?"

"Danny," Paulina walked up to him. Danny had quite crushing on her long ago. He no longer cared much about her, "Danny we came to say we're sorry. I don't think I did anything, but your parents made me feel guilty so I had to come over and apologize." With that all the girls chorused "Sorry Danny" and left.

"Ok that was weird," Tucker said.

"Yeah, like they were really sorry," Sam crossed her arms.

"Guys, something's not quite right with them," Danny stared at the door where the girls had left.

"What do you mean," Sam cocked an eyebrow and looked at Danny.

"I'm not sure," he shook off the feeling.

"So, maybe you should get in some practice with those crutches for school tomorrow," Tucker handed Danny the crutches.

Danny sighed. He was gonna hate those things.

--------------------------------- (Next day: At School) --------------------------------

Danny walked through the halls of Casper High. He was still bandaged from head to toe and these crutches were really starting to annoy him. (And it wasn't even first period yet!) His leg was still pretty bad and his arm was just the same.

He constantly got worried glances and sympathetic stares.

He finally got to his locker. He leaned against it and slid to the ground; throwing the crutches down.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay Danny? I mean the entire town knows what happened," Sam asked.

"I'll be fine. I lived through a bunch of hideous glares didn't I?"

"Barely," Sam and tucker both said.

"Okay fine. You win, but at least I know they already got their revenge and won't try to kill me any more," Danny managed a smile.

Sam sighed. She kneeled down next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder, 'Just…be prepared. There's gonna be a lot of people asking you questions, and some you may not want to answer. You don't have to, but stay calm, okay Danny?"

Danny smiled in response.

"Hey look! It's the kid who got beat up by a bunch of girls. What a wimp," Dash towered above them.

"Oh, Dash," Danny muttered.

"Hey, wimp, why don't you go on a date? Oh yeah, your girlfriend would beat you up!" Dash started to laugh along with his Jock pales.

"Back off Dash! Why don't you just leave Danny alone," Sam stuck a finger in his face.

"Oh, now look, his little girlfriend has to stick up for him," Dash laughed louder.

"I'm not his girlfriend! I'm his best friend and yeah, I'm sticking up for him!" She wanted to punch Dash so bad, but refrained from doing so.

Danny felt his eyes flash green. He grabbed one of his crutches and whacked Dash in the knee. Dash yelled out in pain and started to hop around on one foot while holding his knee.

"Yeah, well, you couldn't win a fight against a piece of wood!" Danny yelled.

"You're gonna pay for that Fenton!" Dash lifted Danny up by the collar, causing pain to flood through Danny's body. (Why his parents let him go to school today is yet to be known. They said it had to do with education or something, but_ I_ think Danny should be at home resting. Who sends a kid to school that still needs pain medication?)

Dash was about to punch Danny in the face, but an authority cut him off.

"Huck Fin! What's going on here?" Lancer yelled. He saw Dash; his fist inches away from Danny's frightened scarred face, "Mr. Baxter but Mr. Fenton down this instant!"

Dash dropped Danny and he hit the ground smack on the chest. He refrained from yelling out, as a teacher was there and he didn't want to seem like a weakling.

"Mr. Baxter, were you just about to punch a defenseless student right after he was almost beaten to death!"

"_Defenseless? I'm not defenseless!"_ Danny thought, "_If you would just let me get my hands on Dash in ghost mode, oh would he be in trouble then!"_

"Uh…I," Dash stuttered.

"Detention all week!" Lancer pointed a finger down the hall and Dash reluctantly left, but not before shooting Danny a hatred glare.

"Mr. Fenton I'm sorry about his behavior," Lancer helped Danny stand as Sam and Tuck gave him his crutches.

"Oh, it's okay," Danny looked up at lancer. He looked…sympathetic or concerned.

"Mr. Fenton, may I speak with you in my classroom privately?" Lancer asked.

"Um sure," Danny followed Lancer down the hall. He looked back at Sam and Tucker. They too seemed worried about him, but they let him go.

-------------------------------- --------------------------------------- ---------------------------------

"Mr. Fenton," Lancer was seated at his desk while Danny sat in a chair in front of him, "The other day, I saw you outside the school, after the attack. Are you sure you'll be able to handle it today?"

"_So, they're calling it "The Attack" now. And Lancer saw me? Now that's just wonderful. Everyone is worrying about me? That's a first" _Danny thought, "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Well, if you ever need to come to someone for assistance or if you just need to talk, I'm here."

"Alright," Danny got his crutches and was about to wobble off, when Lancer stopped him again.

"Mr. Fenton, I'm sot sure if you noticed, but that entire side of the school is blocked off by the police. They are investigating the scene of the attack. I think they may want to speak to you," Mr. Lancer had on a touch of worry.

"_Oh great,"_ Danny hated this whole thing. Danny nodded to Mr. Lancer and exited into the hallway to find Sam and Tucker.

"So, how was your chat?" Tucker asked; a smile spread across his face.

Danny was going to answer, but the intercom cut him off, "Will all girls involved in the Beauty Pageant please report to the gym for interrogation. Daniel Fenton, you too are needed."

Danny sighed, and started for the gym. Sam stayed next to him (she _was_ in the Pageant). She knew this was gonna be hard for him.


	8. Interrogation

Danny walked into the gym. Sam was at his side helping him along. She knew he wouldn't want to help interrogate a bunch of girls. But, he had to. He had no choice. He was the victim and they where the culprits who did the crime.

She looked into his crystal blue eyes. Their glisten reflected, worry, sorrow and the urge to run away from the moment to come. They reflected forgiveness and kindness. He had forgiven them and didn't want anymore to do with this. But his wishes were ignored, as usual, and he had to do the unwanted.

The gym was packed with girls, police officers and other important authorities. There was even Channel 6 news!

"Oh great, I'll be known as the kid who got beat up by a bunch of girls by everyone in the world," Danny sighed. A bunch of reporters ran up to him and started flasheing cameras and asking a boatload of questions.

Danny looked away; the camera flashes were blinding him. He tried to back away, but this only resulted in him running into, yet more reporters and being pushed to the ground.

Sam saw Danny fall, and helped him up, "Just ignore the reporters, they're all busybodies who want to know too much. You don't have to answer their questions," Sam brushed off his shirt.

"Excuse me. Excuse me," A tall heavy set man walked up, "Mr. Fenton does not appreciate having this sort of attention," he led the reporters to the other end of the gym, then returned to Danny, "Mr. Fenton, please follow me."

Danny followed him to a small table. It looked to fit about two people and he guessed it was for the victim to sit in. He sighed again and sat down. The man started to lead Sam away, but Danny stopped him.

"Can she stay with me?" Danny had a pleading look in his eyes, "She didn't have anything to do with it and she helps me out a lot," Sam and Danny smiled at each other.

"I'm sorry, but she was included in the Pageant. The rules say she must be questioned along with all the other girls," Big Man started to take Sam again.

"But, she wasn't there. There's no reason for her to be questioned if I say she wasn't there, right?" Danny tried to persuade him.

"Mr. Fenton, we'll let the authorities handle this. I don't need opinions form little brats like you," he yanked Sam's arm and dragged her along with him. Sam yelped in pain at his tight grip.

This made Danny mad. His eyes flashed green as he watched the two retreating figures. Sam looked back at him, sympathy reflected in her eyes. He wanted to overshadow Big Man, but a higher authority came up to the stand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the interrogation session is about to begin. Please Silence yourself," he was an older man with small glasses and grey hair, "We have come together today because of an abuse done to Mr. Daniel Fenton," he gestured a hand to Danny. Danny smiled nervously.

"_Man, I wish Sam or Tuck were here. I hate this," _Danny cocked his head up on his good arm. This was going to be tedious and boring.

"Will you please lead out the girls," the old guy, apparently the main speaker, said in an extremely boring tone of voice.

All the girls were led out by a group of officers. They were lined up in front of Danny. Sam smiled and waved; Danny returned the gesture. Paulina looked guilty along with Valerie, but all the other girls had no emotion. They all looked like they were thinking evil devious things and wanted to get out of here so they can commit them. Danny hated that look. It reminded him too much of Vlad.

"Mr. Fenton, if any of these girls are innocent, please tell us their name and they will be quietly led out of the room," Speaker man said.

"Okay…um, Valerie Grey was not there," Danny pointed at Val, who smiled as she was being led away.

"Sam Manson wasn't there either, but before you lead her out can I ask you something?" Danny looked at speaker man.

"Yes, you have permission."

Danny picked up his crutches and wobbled over to speaker man. He whispered something in his ear. Speaker Man rubbed his chin in thought for a moment, then leaned down and whispered something in Danny's ear. Danny smiled and wobbled back to his seat.

"Miss. Manson, Mr. Fenton has asked that who remain here. You may sit next to him," Sam looked to Danny and smiled again. Big Man led her to her seat. He gave Danny an evil glare and then returned to his position.

"How are you doing?" Sam asked.

"Fine I guess. This is just about the most boring thing I've ever had to do, though," Danny yawned.

"Yeah it is," Sam sighed, "Hey, I-"

"Mr. Fenton is there anyone else who should leave?" Speaker man asked, cutting Sam off.

"Umm, well, Paulina," Danny began, "She was there, but I think she regrets what she did. I think she deserves to go."

Sam looked at Danny amazed, "I thought you said she was the main one?"

"She was, but look how guilty she is. I think she's sorry. Truly sorry, and should be let go," Danny motioned at Paulina who stifled a small smile.

"I don't," Sam crossed her arms.

"Mr. Fenton, we will still need to question her, but it won't be quite as harsh as the others. Is that alright?"

Danny nodded.

"Alright, girls you may have a seat in the stands. You will each be interrogated individually," the girls sat down in the bleachers.

"This is going to last forever," Danny let his head fall to the table.

Two hours went by with useless questions like, "Why did you do it? Did you have a grudge against Mr. Fenton? Do you feel guilty? Would you do it again?" and stuff like that.

The entire two hours brought Danny memories of razor sharp nails, BB guns, belts, and stuff that hurt. But, in those two hours almost every girl except for a few got questioned.

Paulina was one of the last to be interrogated.

"Do you feel guilty for what you did?" Speaker man asked.

"Yes," Paulina turned to face Danny, "Danny I don't remember what happened, but I'm really sorry. You're parents made me feel so bad. And…I'm sorry," she looked back at the judge.

Danny smiled, "I guess deep down, she isn't all that bad," he whispered to Sam.

"Yeah, only when people make her feel guilty," Sam had the same outlook on Paulina as she always had.

Finally the interrogation session ended.

"You girls may return to you're classes while we figure something out," Speaker man said. All the girls flew out of the room. While they left Tucker squeezed his way into the gym and found Sam and Danny.

"Hey guys. So how'd it go?" Tucker walked up to them.

"The boringest thing ever!" Sam yelled as she stood up.

"Yeah, but I guess they _have_ to do this boring stuff. Especially if they get paid for it," Danny allowed Sam to help him stand as he grabbed his crutches, "But it was nice to get off these stupid things for a while."

"I bet," Tucker was about to lead them out when Speaker Man came up to them.

"Mr. Fenton, we will be coming to a conclusion from the questioning and will notify you when we have one. In the mean time, I think you should return to your classes."

Danny nodded and followed Tucker out. Sam grabbed hers and Danny's backpack and followed.

"I have to go to my locker for a minute. See you guys in class?" Danny said, taking his book bag from Sam.

"Sure, but we'll stay with you. I mean come on, you're like a "be late for class care free" card," Tucker smirked.

Danny laughed, "Okay, but I'm a little slow."

They got to Danny's locker and he began to grab his books when he heard footsteps down the hall.

"Uh, Danny? You have company," Sam pointed at the hoard of girls coming down the hall.

"Oh great. Aren't they supposed to be in class?" Danny slammed his locker shut.

"Hey Fenton," Star's annoying voice rang out.

"What do you want?" Danny snapped.

Quick as a flash, Star's hand flung out and slapped Danny across the face. He cringed in pain.

"You stood up for Paulina and not us!" she yelled, but it wasn't her own voice, it was…Vlad's.

"Vlad?" Danny looked up at Star. Her eyes were scarlet red, "Get out of her Vlad!"

"Whatever you say, Daniel," Vlad flew out of Star and floated above them. At the same moment ghosts flew out of all the other girls. Technus, Skulker, Ember, The Lunch Lady, Johnny Thirteen, Kitty, Spectra, Bertrand, Walker, Dessera, Young Blood, Prince Aragon, Hotep Ra, the ectopuses and even the Box Ghost were there.

Danny backed up in surprise, accidentally hitting Sam. The Ghosts flew around in a huge circle which eventually formed around Danny, Sam and Tuck.

Danny tried to transform, but something whacked him on the back of the head; blacking him out. He fell forward, unable to get away from the wrath that was about to come from every ghost he had ever fought.


	9. The REAL Problem

Danny's eyes flickered open, but his vision was blurred. He moaned at the pain in the back of his neck. He tried to comfort it with his hand, but he couldn't move it. He closed his eyes and shook his head to clear his vision. When he opened them again, he gapped at what he saw.

He was in an unusually dark room. It was metal, probably soundproof. The only lights were candles that lined the wall. He was above everything; he could see the room's contents from above. He saw bubbling test tubes and experiments. He could see tubes filled with water, the size of a human. There were red, green, yellow; you name a color, liquid in small puddles all over the floor and tables.

He looked around him only to see that he was in a machine, also made of metal. His arms and legs were in clasps and he couldn't move them, nor destroy them with ecto blasts. The machine was in the shape of a circle, he was in the middle, electricity shot around it, but never once hit him.

"Sam, Tucker?" Danny remembered what had happened before he blacked out. He hoped those ghosts hadn't hurt them.

"Danny?" he heard Sam's voice echo out from the back of the room. A part he couldn't see.

"Sam? Sam, where are you? I can't see you," Danny yelled a reply into the darkness.

"Me and Tucker are in some kind of cage. Tucker's still out cold. What do you mean you can't see us? I can see you clear as day," she called back.

"I can't see you; it's too dark where you are. Can you get out of the cage somehow?"

"Yeah, it doesn't have a bottom, but it's really heavy. I think I can see a lever that may lift it just a few feet away from here."

Danny could here her trying to lift it, but she couldn't and soon gave up, "You don't look to be in a very good situation either Danny. How are you gonna get out?"

"I'll think of something," Danny looked at his iron prison. He transformed into ghost mode and tried to phase through it, but it was ghost proof.

"Ghost Inhabitation," the machine suddenly realized that Danny was in ghost mode. The electricity started to go crazy. Danny's face fell as he looked above his head at the pulse that seemed to have anger management issues. He gasped as the machine began to beep. It was slow at first, but soon began to speed up, along with the electricity's fury.

Sam saw what was happening too, "Danny, make a shield, phase though it, do something! You have to get out of there!" But she was too late. The pulse shot through the clasps into Danny's body. He screamed in pain as it penetrated his small body.

"DANNY!" Sam screamed. She started to yank on the bars of the cage.

"Sam?" Tucker sat up groggily, "What? Where are we? What's that screaming?"

"Tucker that screaming is Danny!" Sam pounded on the bars and screamed in frustration.

"What!" Tucker became fully alert. He stood up and went to the side of the cage next to Sam. He could see Danny clearly, as the electricity flew through out his veins. Then he, along with Sam, pounded and yanked on the bars of their prison.

Danny couldn't think, he couldn't move. His body was being mangled by the pulse, it was haywiring him. He couldn't talk, he could hardly breath. All he could do was scream.

"Destruction session in progress," The machine began to shock Danny more brutally and his screams grew louder.

"Danny change back!" Sam screamed, "It'll only zap you while you're in ghost mode! Change back!"

Danny could barely hear her, but understood. He immediately reverted back to human and the shocking stopped.

"Source of power cannot be found," the machine no longer had a ghost in its grasp. Danny let his head fall and closed his eyes. His head was spinning and his body burned, but he didn't black out. He had to get out of this place, but he wasn't sure how he was going to.

"Danny!" Sam screamed. Tears formed in her violet eyes, "_Please be okay. You have to be okay, you have to."_ She kept yanking on the bars, although she knew it was a useless attempt.

Tucker, we have to reach that lever." Sam pointed at it, "But how?" she brought a finger to her lips in thought. She lighted tapped, getting her purple lipstick on her finger. Her thoughts were interrupted by an evil laugh that echoed throughout the room. It seemed to bounce of the walls and skid along the ground, its wickedness purely visible.

"Vlad," Sam and Tucker both said at the same time. They knew Danny's archenemies laugh so well, it wasn't even funny.

"Ah, I see you're awake," Vlad appeared in front of the cage. He had his arms behind his back; his face held a malicious grin.

"Let us out!" Sam commanded. She tried to grab a handful of Vlad coat, but her arm was just an inch too short.

"Foolish girl, do you actually think I'm going to let you go?" Vlad laughed at Sam's optimisum. Sam growled in rage, her fists clenched. If she were a ghost her eyes would be flashing. She could see herself ripping Vlad's ugly head off.

"Let them go Vlad," Vlad turned to see Danny. He hadn't lifted his head, nor did he open his eyes. He simply hung limp, yet he still had that small spark of courage.

Vlad flew over to him. He grabbed Danny's chin and yanked his head up. This movement caused pain to shoot through Danny's body. Unfortunately, Vlad saw this and took advantage of this weakness. He shoved Danny on the chest, "Do you think you're going to get away, boy? With all of us here?"

"Us?" Danny gasped for breath as the pain lurked inside him.

Vlad answered him, by floating to the center of the room. He was still grinning. Danny saw a large shaft or window open up above his head, but before he could see where it lead, hundreds of ghosts began to fly into the room. Soon it was filled with all Danny's enemies and a few that simply didn't like him by reputation.

Sam and Tucker gasped at the sight before them. Sam stole a glance at the opening in which the ghosts had entered through just before it shut. She saw the familiar swirling green clouds of gas and smoke in the world she knew so well.

"Tucker," Sam tapped his shoulder, "We're not on earth any more, we're in the ghost zone."

**------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -----------------------------**

**Hmmm, should I leave ya there…Nah, there's way too much to cover. Ha I don't know why I just wrote this. I think I'm delirious from the crude tortures of school. So, any way here's more.**

**------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------**

Danny glared at all the ghosts that surrounded him. Fear resided inside him, but he didn't let it show, "Why are… you all here? What…do you want?" The effects of the shock still showed in his ragged breathing and vocal usage.

"We've come for revenge, ghost child," Skulker pounded a fist into the palm of his hand. All the ghosts began to walk up to Danny. There faces showed that the plans they had in their devious minds weren't going to be a walk on the beach. Danny squirmed, he knew he couldn't go ghost or this machine would zap him. He had to get out; he couldn't sit here and get beaten to a bloody pulp by a bunch of ghosts.

---------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- -----------------------

"Tucker! Danny can't get out! He's about to be…" Sam couldn't finish her sentence. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, "We have to help him."

Tucker began to search his pockets for something. Sam stared at him in curiosity. She wasn't sure what he was looking for, but she knew he had something in mind.

"Ah ha!" Tucker pulled out his PDA, "They found the one I usually have in my pocket. I don't use this one as often, but I still carry it around with me."

"Wait…if they took the one in your pocket…where did you get this one?" Sam asked.

"Um…I'd rather not say?"

"Never mind, who are you going to call?" Sam walked over to him and stared at the screen of the small Techno geek computer. She saw him scroll down a list of phone numbers. She noticed, hers, Danny's _Valerie's_ and a few essential ones like his house, his grandparents and…Nasty Burger. He scrolled until he was almost to the bottom and stopped at one title, "Jazz Fenton."

Sam instantly brightened. Jazz could bring the specter speeder! She could help them escape! Oh if she would just get here in time.

Tucker's PDA made a ringing noise. It took about three rings before a frantic Jazz answered.

"Danny?" her voice trembled and they could tell she was worried.

"No, it's Sam and Tucker?"

"Sam? Tucker? Where are you? Is Danny there? Why did you disappear from school?"

"A bunch of Danny's enemies had over shadowed all the girls in the pageant. They knocked all three of us out. They brought us to the ghost zone. Jazz, listen, get the specter speeder. Turn on the scanner and drive into the ghost zone. If you don't get here fast Danny…Danny could be dead," Sam tried to explain everything as fast as she could.

"What do you mean? Sam is Danny okay? Please tell me he's okay?" Jazz's voice got louder and more shaky.

"Jazz just-" Sam was cut off by a loud scream from Danny as the ghost made their first hit on there prey.

Tucker dropped the PDA and ran to the side of the cage. Blood ran down Danny's side and his eyes were clenched shut. He was in pain, and they could see it.

"DANNY!" Jazz screamed into the phone. She had heard his painful cry.

"Sam grabbed Tucker's PDA off the ground, "Jazz hurry!" Then she hung up, hoping Jazz would follow the exact rules of what she was told.

-------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------------

Danny gasped in pain from the blow taken to his side. It hurt like crazy and he couldn't do anything. He was like a rag doll being ripped apart by an angry dog.

Skulker straightened up from his last shot. He prepared for a second, but all the other ghosts got impatient. They wanted their revenge and they wanted it now!

Ember struck a string on her guitar, letting out a huge blast that hit Danny in the chest.

Technus formed an electrical energy blast and hit Danny in the legs.

Blow after blow, hit after hit. Danny wasn't going to last long as an open target. He was going down fast. His world began to blacken. Blood poured from his pale body; every scream that came from his mouth only pleased the killers. Until, finally, he couldn't last. He let his head fall; his eyes close. He couldn't handle this. He couldn't…

------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

"NO! Danny, no!" Sam fell to her knees as she saw Danny go limp, "No."

Even Tucker was devastated by the sight they had just witnessed. His best friend was being beaten with no means of escaping. He was supposed to be there to help him, but… he wasn't, and now…his best friend…was dead. Or it looked like he was from where they were.

Sam suddenly had an idea, "Tucker give me your hat."

"What do you have in plan," Tucker asked handing her his hat. His voice was a bit shaky, but he tried to hide it. He had to be strong, for Sam's sake. If Danny really was dead, well he had to face the facts.

Sam grabbed his hat and began to rip it in a spiral shape. When she finally reached the middle she stretched the material into a long line of cloth. Then she ripped the hem of her skirt and tied a loop to the end of the red cloth.

She showed it to Tucker, "Do you think this will reach that lever?" she pointed to the silver lever a few feet away.

"Don't know, but it can't hurt to try, right?"

Sam expertly threw the cloth through a space between the bars. It almost reached the lever, but missed it by an inch to the side.

"Darn it!" Sam yelled.

"Don't worry," Tucker tried to reassure her, "Just keep trying."

Sam continued to throw it until on about the fifth try she finally got it. As soon as she was sure it had a secure grasp she pulled on it with all her strength. It didn't budge.

"Tucker! Help me," Sam continued to pull on the rope, and still, it wouldn't move. Tucker ran up to her and also helped pull.

"It won't move," Tucker panted.

"Keep pulling!" Sam yanked harder. She planted her boots on the ground and tugged. Suddenly, it flew to the other direction, causing Sam and Tucker to fall to the ground. The cage lifted by a chain attached to its roof.

"Hey, it worked," Tucker commented as he stood up.

"Come on," Sam ran to the side of the room. The ghosts were too busy with there revenge to notice them as they inched along the wall.

The ghosts surrounded Danny. They get shooting things at him, although he couldn't feel it nor yell out. They wanted their revenge so bad that they would hit a target that shows no acclamation of their torture.

"Look," Sam pointed to a small control panel located behind the machine that Danny was inside, "If we can get there, we should be able to get Danny out."

"How are we gonna get there without them seeing us?" Tucker pointed at the mob around Danny.

"They're pretty preoccupied. I think we should be able to get over there," Sam began to inch towards it.

"And when we get him out…?" Tucker asked, following close behind her.

"I'm not sure. But I'm not letting Danny get hurt anymore by these ghosts. Besides, Jazz can't be too far away…can she?"

------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- --------------------------------

"Come on you stupid Tub! Can't you go any faster?" Jazz screamed at the speeder. Usually, she was the calm one, but when she heard Danny scream, she just snapped. Her brother was in danger and she was the only one who could help him. Now, she was roaring through ghost zone heading towards the spot the speeders scanner said Danny and his friends were.

"Ten minutes away," she said to herself, "Please be okay Danny. Please, you have to." A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of the state her brother may be in.

"No," she scolded herself, "Jasmine, you can't think like that. You're sixteen. You have to stay positive."

"_Be strong…for Danny's sake,"_ she thought,_ "Ten minutes away."_

----------------------------- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

"Got it," Sam kneeled next to the control panel; Tucker kneeled behind her.

"Well, press it already! Danny looks horrible," he glanced up at his bleeding friend.

"Sam slammed down on the button marked, "Release." The clasps holding Danny's arms and legs opened and Danny fell to the ground.

Before the ghosts knew what hit them, Sam had jumped up to Danny and held him in her firm grasp. She tried to run, but the ghosts regained their composure and blocked her path.

She quickly checked his pulse. There was a weak one…somehow. She wasn't sure how Danny managed to stay alive and frankly, she didn't care, as long as he was alive.

His breathing was weak and ragged. His body was covered with blood and his face was deathly pale. But he was alive, and that relieved her.

"Release the ghost child," Skulker commanded. He aimed a gun at Sam's head.

"NO!" Sam squeezed Danny tighter.

"Then-"Skulker was cut off by Vlad.

"Ah, Daniel's little girlfriend," Vlad gave an evil grin, "Do you actually think you're getting out with him?"

"I know who you are. If you hurt Danny anymore, I'll spill you're secret," Sam threatened, "and I now of a way that _won't_ blow Danny's cover."

"Vlad was a little taken aback by her sudden threat. He thought of a comeback.

"_Jazz hurry," _Sam pleaded to herself, "_You're Danny's last hope."_

Vlad simply decided to do things the easy way. He snapped his fingers and the ghosts lurched at Sam. Soon they were trying to pry her away from Danny.

"No!" Sam screamed, "No! Danny I won't leave you. I won't let go!" she held him tighter.

"I know you won't" Sam looked to see Danny's crystal blue eyes staring into her violet ones.

"Danny," Sam could feel the warm tears fall from her eyes, "Danny I won't…I can't leave you." She hugged him.

"Sam…I," Danny tried to tell her something, but he could breathe or talk very well, "I…"

He couldn't finish as Sam was wrenched away from him.

"No!" Sam felt her fingers slid away from Danny's cold touch as she was pulled in the opposite direction, "Danny! No!"

Danny's eyes reflected fear, sorrow, and regret. He stared at Sam as she grew smaller and soon was blocked from view, "Sam." He couldn't go ghost. He couldn't move. He could hardly breathe and now Sam was being taken from him. Could this get any worse?

"Hey! Hands of the little brother!" the speeder flew straight through the opening in the roof. Rock and pieces of metal sprinkled down on the occupants of the building.

Jazz flew down to the floor, but didn't get out of the speeder. She pressed a button and weapons popped out of every possible compartment on the outside of the speeder. It began shooting and zapping ghosts like flies. They were flying all over the room.

Sam elbowed the ghost holding her and kicked the other. She escaped as the ghosts keeled over to aid there wounds. She bolted in the direction she knew Danny was.

She had to dodge blasts from the speeder and ghost flying everywhere. Soon, Danny was in her view. He was lying on the ground, trying to keep himself breathing. His arm was draped over his chest and his eyes were clenched shut. He gritted his teeth and kept moaning. Sam could tell that his leg was broken…well, even more than it had been before, and he needed a lot of bandaging and even stitches.

She had almost reached him when a ghost flew at her. She tried to dodge, but it hit her it the head. He fell to the ground and slid a few feet away. She was a bit dazed, but soon her vision cleared.

She looked back at Danny. He was still in the exact spot, but Vlad was there too. He had some kind of needed or shot thing. She could see the fear in Danny's eyes, but he couldn't get away, and he was too weak to go ghost.

"Danny!" Sam reached out, but Vlad stabbed the needle into the right section of Danny's chest. The contents slowly flowed into his body. Danny yelled out in pain, causing Sam to rush at him. Vlad saw her coming and quickly turned invisible and flew away.

Jazz saw that most of the ghosts were freaking out and slammed on the portable ghost shield that her dad had installed in the speeder. Any ghosts within the half circle were blown into the walls. She jumped out of the speeder and ran up to Danny.

The last thing Danny saw was Jazz running towards him and Sam grab him and begin to cradle him in her arms. The rest was only blackness.

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**Okay I know this chapter was long, but I wanted to cover a lot. And also, I LOVE reviews. Please review. Oh and Thx to my previous reviewers. Um…yeah, sorry it took me so long to update. You now school and stuff. Yeah so…I'll try to update sooner next time.**


	10. home

Yes, I updated! But first, I have to give thanks to my reviewers…

eternal.CHA0S, DannysEvilTwin, epobbp, Ghostboy814, FC, crazyvi, charizardag, L'ange-Sans-Ailes, Ohka Breynekai, KoolFlute, crazybluephantom, Me The Anon One, phantom-airesgurl, PhantomGoth912, Word Life 316, Galateagirl, sammanson4131, Computer-Slave.

Wow, a lot a people reviewed. Thanks ya'll! I really love reviews! Thanks SOOO much!

And here is your long awaited update

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"No!" Sam picked up Danny's unconscious body and held him, "No…Danny."

He was so cold; so hurt. He was what no fourteen year old boy should be. He was hurt to an extent beyond anything a human should _ever_ see. Why Danny? Why him?

Jazz rushed up to the two and fell down on her knees next to her. She saw her brother and tears instantly formed.

"No, Danny." She shook her head in disbelief, "How could they do this to you?"

Sam let her tears flow freely. She didn't care if Goths weren't supposed to cry. She didn't care if she had never cried before, her best friend, was lying in her arms, hurt so much. She couldn't seem to grasp the moment. It was too much for her to comprehend.

Jazz seemed to regain composure faster than Sam, "We have to get him somewhere safe where we can get him help." She was calm as she looked at Sam, hoping that she would allow her to take Danny to the speeder. The girl was so broken down, she wasn't sure if she would let Danny go.

"Sam," Jazz put a hand on her shoulder, "I have to take Danny to the speeder."

Sam continued to stare at Danny, "Why him, Jazz? Why did it have to be Danny?" her voice was quiet and clearly showed that she had been crying.

"Sam, things like this happen to everyone. You have to accept that. It could have been anyone. It just happened to be Danny this time."

"Not things like this. This should never happen to anyone. Especially not Danny," Sam clutched her friend even harder.

"Sam. Sam, we can still help him. We just have to get him to the speeder. We have to bring him home!"

Sam looked away as she let Jazz take Danny. Jazz ran him to the speeder and wrapped him up in blankets to stop the bleeding.

Sam stayed on her knees; tears still ran down her cheeks. Tucker had been standing by, and watching the moment pass. He walked up to Sam and kneeled down next to her.

He looked at her sympathetically, "Sam? You okay?"

Sam looked away from tucker, "No."

"Sam. It'll be fine. Danny will get through this," Tucker put a hand on her back and tried to see her face.

"But what if he doesn't Tucker? I don't know what I'll do without him," she squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened to flow again.

"He will. He always has before," Tucker tried to sound cheerful, but, in reality, he was devastated. He couldn't bear to see his friend as beat up as Danny was. He couldn't even look at, or go up to him. He just couldn't do it. He couldn't see Danny like that.

"Are you two coming?" Jazz poked her head out of the speeder.

"Yeah," Tucker answered her. He looked back at Sam, "We better go."

Sam got up and walked to the speeder with Tucker by her side. She hung her head as she took a seat.

Tucker watched her; his worries building. She looked so sad. He hoped she would do something drastic if Danny did happen to die.

Jazz started up the speeder and put down the ghost shield. She flew out of the building and into the mass green ghost zone. Not a word was spoken, not a sound was heard. It was completely quiet in the speeder, all except for the sound of Danny's harsh breathing.

Finally, Sam couldn't handle it any longer. She jumped up and ran back to Danny. She picked him up and held him in her lap. She couldn't leave him alone, he needed someone with him. She had to be strong for him. She had to be there for him, and she was going to, no matter what!

She stroked his black hair and gazed at his pale innocent face, "You don't deserve this Danny. You never did anything wrong," Sam touched his cheek, feeling along a scratch that spread across it, "all you ever did was try to help."

She didn't get a response from him; she didn't expect anything except his breathing. Suddenly, she thought of an idea, "Jazz! I think I know of someone who can help Danny!"

Jazz looked at Sam, "What? Sam, if anyone helps they'll figure out Danny's secret."

"No, she won't figure it out. I promise," Sam kept her looking at Danny. She knew he needed help, and the only person she was thinking of would be the person to do it.

"Who is it?" Jazz asked, turning back to the front.

"My Mom," Sam stated surly.

"WHAT!" the speeder halted to a stop as Jazz looked at Sam again, "Sam he HATES Danny! How can she possibly help?"

"Jazz, she was a nurse before she married my Dad and became rich. She knows how to do everything. I think she can help him. I know she hates him. I don't know why, but I think she'll help him."

"But-"

"Jazz! She's his only hope! If Danny doesn't get help soon he's going to…die." Sam's hard glare softened at that word, "And I don't know what I'd do if that ever happened." She looked away from the sixteen year old.

Jazz didn't say anything after that. She turned back to the front and got the speeder going again. It was quiet for another five minutes.

"Well, I guess you should call your mom before we get there. Danny needs as much time as possible," Tucker spoke up.

"Yeah I guess I should," Sam finally took her eyes off of Danny and pulled out her cell phone from her pocket. She dialed a number and listened for an answer.

"Hello?" a high pitched female voice answered; although, it seemed to be frantic and filled with worry.

"Hi Mom," Sam made her voice a little louder, to hide the remnants of crying.

"Sam? Sam where are you? Why did you disappear from school?" Mrs. Manson had obviously been worried and suspicious when her daughter just left school.

"I…I can't explain, but I need you're help."

"What's wrong Samikins? Where are you? Are you hurt?" Sam could here her mom clutch the phone.

"No! No I'm fine…it's…its Danny," Sam felt her eyes burn as tears started to flow again.

"That boy? What did he do to you?"

"Mom! He didn't do anything! You should know that by now! He wouldn't hurt anyone. But someone hurt him."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom, you said you were a nurse before you married Dad, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, its time to bust out those skills again."

"Samantha, please don't use slang around me, and what do you mean?"

"Danny's hurt and he needs a nurse or doctor or someone who knows how to do medical work. We don't have time to get to the hospital. We need you to get to Fenton Works. Danny's parents are out right now. The door is unlocked. Come in and down into the lab, okay?"

"Sam, I don't think-"

"Mom! Please! Just… do it for me, please. Danny's my best friend and I don't want to see him die!"

The other end was silent.

"Mom?"

"I'll be right there Sam. Make sure Danny keeps breathing, alright?"

"Ok. Thanks mom." Sam smiled. She was actually getting along with her mother. This was probably a once in a life time moment. She hung up and shoved the phone into her pocket once again.

"So?" Tucker looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"She's going to meet us in the Fenton's lab," Sam replied. She regained her stare at the boy she was holding.

"We're almost home," Jazz told the two. The green vortex was visible far in front of the speeder.

"You hear that Danny? We're almost there. You're going to be okay," Sam thought she was going nuts for talking to someone who couldn't answer her, but she could have sworn she saw him lips twitch, trying to form a smile, when she said those words.

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The speeder flew through the swirling green opening and floated to a halt in the Fenton's lab.

Sam and tucker got out, and Sam carried Danny out. She laid him on a table in the lab and Jazz took the now bloodstained blanket off him.

Sam gasped. The blood had covered almost his entire body, except his face. His clothes were torn everywhere and they were completely red.

Her horrors were interrupted when they heard someone open the front door.

"Down here Mrs. Manson!" Jazz called up. She heard the clunks of her heels as she ran down the stairs into the lab. She was wearing her normal pink dress and pink high heeled shoes, but she had a white apron on and a mask over her mouth. Her red hair was up in its usual high bun along with her headband finishing it all off.

As soon as she saw Danny she gasped, "Oh my goodness!"


	11. Time to Bust Out Those Skills

For a while, the older woman stood and gawked. Not a word came out of her mouth; she could only stare.

"Mom! We don't have time for you to stare at him! He needs help!" Sam brought her mother out of her trance.

"Sam, what _exactly_ happened for him to get so hurt?" Mrs. Manson faced her daughter.

"Mom please! We don't have time to talk! Danny needs help NOW!" Sam saw Danny's breathing rhythm go slightly out of beat. Its pace slowed down, and they were wasting valuable time.

"Alright, but I need an explanation when I'm finished, understand?" she put down a bag she had brought with her and opened it up, "Now you children should go upstairs. I need silence."

"But-"

"Sam, listen to me on this. If you want your friend to get better, I need you to leave." she pulled out a first aid kit and opened it up.

"He'll be okay, right?" Sam's hard glare turned to a sad hopeful one.

"I'll see what I can do Samikins, but that's all I can promise," Mrs. Manson stifled a smile at her daughter.

Sam reluctantly left the room with Jazz and Tucker.

Mrs. Manson watched her leave before turning around and pulling on a pair of rubber gloves. She shook her head and looked at her patient, "Time to bust out those skills."

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"Sam, he'll be fine," Tucker once again tired to reassure the girl who had managed to wrap herself into a ball and was sitting in a corner of the couch.

"How do you know that?" her voice was muffled, as her legs were drawn up against her chest and her arms were hugged around them, keeping them closer to the face that she had buried into them.

"Because he's always okay. He's been fighting ghosts for months now, and he's always been okay," Tucker sat next to her on the couch.

"This is different, Tucker. The ghosts finally got their revenge," one could here her sniffle from the painful thoughts of what had happened.

"Jazz, tell her Danny's going to be okay," Tucker needed support, and there was only one other person to do that right now.

Jazz sat on an armchair; her legs were also up to her chest. She was staring out the window, watching the rain dribble down the glass. Isn't it weird how the weather seems to reflect one's mood? If you're happy, it's sunny, and if you're sad or depressed, it's rainy or foggy. The weather matched the situation they were in at the moment; sad, rainy and depressed. Unsure of when the sun will return to brighten one's life. She sighed.

"Jazz?"

"Huh?"

"Tell Sam Danny's gonna be fine," Tucker was getting agitated. Why are girls so emotional?

"I wish I could, but then again, he might not be," she didn't turn from her gaze out the window.

"Oh thanks a lot. You're a real help," he sighed and stood up, "I'm going to make some popcorn. Do you want regular or cheddar?"

He didn't get an answer.

"Fine, I'll get cheddar," with that, he disappeared into the kitchen.

"It's funny how Tucker's always so optimistic," Jazz laughed a little, "Usually, I'm the peppy one."

Sam didn't carry out the conversation; she just stuck with her own thoughts.

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Tucker had just put the bag of popcorn in the microwave when he couldn't help but wonder what was going on in the lab. He stood in front of the door way that led to the place his friend was, and stared into the darkness. He could hear faint little noises coming from with in, but didn't know what they were exactly.

He had the sudden urge to yell into the darkness, just to make sure Danny wasn't dead or something, but decided against it, "Mrs. Manson said she wanted silence." He bit his bottom lip. He didn't like not knowing what was going on.

"Beep" the microwave signaled that his popcorn was done. He got a bowl and poured it in and went back into the room that contained the two broken down girls.

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Mrs. Manson sighed and whipped her forehead with her arm. Her gloves were now completely covered in red blood and she had blood stains covering her apron.

"I never knew, the boy who I thought was evil would ever need me so much," she laughed a little, "You're lucky I was a nurse, young man."

She took off one of her gloves and pulled the other one off with it, "Now, time to call you're mother." She took off her apron and pulled a small pink cell phone out of her pocket. She sat in a chair across from Danny and dialed a number, "I'm surprised I still know her cell number, considering I hate the woman."

"Hello?" Maddie's voice rang out on the other end of the phone.

"Hello, Madeline?" Mrs. Manson always called her by her first name.

"Manson," Maddie's voice changed from cheerful to dripping with hate, "Why did you call?"

"I called because of your son."

"What now? He came into your house? He talked to your daughter? Or are you just calling to complain about his existence?"

"Mrs. Fenton, I'm calling because you're son has just escaped death. If Sam hadn't called me, your son would be dead."

"Don't try to get on my good side Manson. Why are you calling me?"

"Madeline, listen to me? You're son was beaten to a pulp when my daughter called me. I had to stitch and fix him up. Maddie, I suggest you get over here right now."

"What? Y-You're pulling my leg? What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you. All I want is for you to get over to your house and take care of this boy!" Normally she would never raise her voice, but her relationship with this woman called for that. Neither of them trusted each other, but the situation they were in had to manage to get around that.

"I want to talk to Danny."

"What?"

"I want to talk to my son. Put him on"

"He can't-"

"Rebecca! Let me talk to my boy!"

Mrs. Manson sighed. Right now was one of those times when you wished you got along with the person who could make everything go smoother, "Alright, but I don't think you'll get much."

She walked over to Danny and held the phone up to his ear, _"I must me going ma. He's not going to be able to talk to her."_

"Danny?" Maddie's voice was heard through the small receiver. Her only answer was heavy ragged breathing, "Danny are you there?"

"M-Mom?" his voice was almost like when you try to talk when your voice is completely gone.

"Danny! Danny are you alright?" Maddie's voice was frantic.

"No."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Maddie clutched the phone and brought it closer to her ear.

"Mom…ghosts. I… they…I'm sorry," Danny's voice faded and all his mother could hear was his heavy breathing.

"Maddie?"

"I'm on my way, Becca," She hung up as did Mrs. Manson. She turned to Danny.

"Danny? How do you feel?" she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I've…felt better," she could tell he was holding back screaming out in pain.

"Let's get you upstairs," she grabbed a clean blanket and wrapped it around him. Then, she slid her arms underneath his back and picked him up. He was extremely light and easy to carry.

"I can't quite see what my daughter sees in you. You're thin as a stick," she laughed a little, "I always thought men should be able to protect their wives."

"I could …protect her. I'm not…that easy to beat," he opened his eyes just enough to see her bright orange hair.

She laughed, "I'm sure you aren't." They finally reached the living room where the three teens were. As soon as they saw who Sam's mom was holding they gasped, and Sam jumped up from her spot on the couch and ran up to him.


	12. Something's Wrong

"Danny?" Sam hugged him, "How do you feel?"

"Um, do I…have to answer that?" he winced a little as Mrs. Manson laid him down on the couch.

"No," Sam kneeled down next to him, "You're parents would probably want to know what happened." She looked up at her mother.

"I already called his mother. She's on her way here," Mrs. Manson grabbed her coat off the couch and slipped it on, "Which means that,_ I_ am leaving."

"Why?" Sam turned towards her and gave her a questioning look.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really like the Fenton's," she grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder.

All four of the kids frowned. They watched as Mrs. Manson left, slamming the door behind her.

"Well, good reddens," Jazz uncurled herself from the armchair and walked over to her brother, "What are we going to tell mom?"

"I'm going to tell her…the truth," Danny managed a small smile.

"You mean…" Jazz stared at him wide eyed and unbelievably.

"Yeah," Danny closed his eyes, "I'm tired…of hiding it and…I'm sure they could really help me a lot."

"But what if they don't accept you?" Sam asked, "What if they try to experiment on you, or kill you?"

"That's a chance…I have to take," Danny's voice sounded more strained, "If they do that…I'll have to leave. Go…and live somewhere else."

"No Danny, we aren't going to let you do that," Jazz put her hands on her hips, "If Mom and Dad don't accept you and you have to leave, then I leave too."

"Me two," Sam crossed her arms.

"Yeah, me three," Tucker shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

Danny gave them a smile that hid his true feelings, "_Then if that happens I'll have to leave in secret. I'm not going to take your lives away from you." _

"What do you want to do before your mom gets home," Sam smiled and watched Danny.

"Not much," Jazz said as she heard a car screech to a halt in front of their house. All three of the friends turned towards the door, giving Danny a moment to breathe. He let out a silent ragged breath. He bit his lip to get rid of the pain in his body. He had to hide it; he didn't want them to worry about him.

"Here she comes," Jazz announced. She turned towards Danny who immediately put on his, _I'm fine_ act, "You ready?"

Danny nodded weakly; a little afraid of what was about to come.

The door flew open and slammed against the wall, causing Danny to cringe at the noise.

"Kids, where's Danny?" Maddie looked expectantly at them. They slowly parted leaving a pathway right towards the couch. Danny smiled a little as his mother ran up to him.

"Oh, Danny, what happened? Are you okay?" Maddie picked him up and squeezed him in a back crunching hug.

"Mom…can't…breathe…crushing…me," Danny gasped for breath.

"Danny, on the phone, you said something about ghosts," Maddie held him a little farther away, but kept a firm grip on his shoulders, so she could stare into his shining blue eyes.

"Yeah…Mom I-" he suddenly screamed in pain, losing eye contact with his mother. He brought his hand to his head and moaned a little.

"Danny?" Maddie brought him a little closer. She removed his hand from his head, but nothing looked wrong. He had some scratches and a few bruises that was all. Why sis he suddenly look like he was in so much pain?

"_I have to tell her. I've kept it from her for way too long," _Danny closed his eyes to think, "_What's wrong with me? My head…ow… everything burns." _Danny screamed in pain. Something wasn't right inside of him.

"Danny, stop. Just calm down," Maddie pulled him up to her in a light comforting embrace, but it didn't help anything. Danny simply screamed louder. His body ached and he felt something traveling through his veins, stiffening his muscles and causing his skin to clam up. He started to sweat, but this caused him to shiver.

"_Something is wrong with your son Maddie, and it's much more complicated than you may think. He needs you to help him pull through in this. This is your chance to know him better," _Maddie let her thoughts flood her mind as her son sat trembling in her arms.

Sam stood and stared at the two. She really wasn't sure of what to say. Danny had just randomly started screaming in mid sentence and it surprised her. She had always helped him when he was fighting, or when he needed her, but none, has ever gotten this far. He had never gotten hurt this badly. She was only fourteen! What was she supposed to do when her best friend was a thin thread away from dying at any second?

"_Remember Vlad, before you reached him in the ghost zone? He stuck something into Danny. That must be what's messing with him. He needs you. You need to help him, it will pay off,"_ Sam slowly walked up to them and sat down on the couch. She held Danny's hand, "It's alright Danny. Okay, you can get through this."

Danny finally stopped screaming just in time to hear Sam's gentle words. They may have been small, but the mouth they came from made all the difference. Sam meant the world to him, but he could never tell her that. It was the only secret he kept from her. He opened his eyes to see her violet eyes looking into his own eyes, and in a split second he had pulled himself away from his mother's arms and hugged Sam as tears formed in his eyes.

Sam was shocked. For a minute she stared at the boy who had buried his head in her chest in a tight hug, but soon, she softened and returned the hug. She felt a slight trickle run down her arm; tears. Danny was crying.

"Danny?" whatever was inside of him must have been making him act extremely out of character. He _never_ cried. Not even in the worst situation, he just never cried. It wasn't Danny; it wasn't his character, "Danny?"

She didn't get an answer; all she received was a sharp breath, before he completely collapsed in her arms.


	13. Soon

I'm really sorry it took me so long to update this. I really wanted to make sure I got it up before I leave though. Thanks to all my reviewers!

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Sam gently stroked Danny's hair as he slept. She hadn't moved and neither had he. Maddie went into the lab to try to figure out a few things and Tucker and Jazz went to help her. She was alone to take care of the one she loved.

She gently hummed the tune to the soon-to-be Danny Phantom theme song her Danny and Tucker had thought up. All in all, it was pretty good for a bunch of fourteen year olds to think of.

_Gonna catch em all, cuz he's Danny Phantom_

"Danny…please make it out of this. Amity park needs you, your family needs you…I need you." Sam started talking to him, although she knew he couldn't hear her.

_Gonna catch em all, cuz he's Danny Phantom_

Sam sighed. She could hear faint talking from the lab. She looked at Danny. He had so much to decide…so much to think and worry about. So much that a kid shouldn't have to think about until they were what, thirty?

_Gonna catch em all, cuz he's...Danny Phantom!_

"_I'm going to tell her…the truth," _Danny's voice rang in her head. He had finally decided to tell his mom. What would her reaction be? Surly she'd accept her son…she did when Freakshow changed Reality. But it'd be an entirely different situation here. Everything could go in a seriously different direction.

Sam leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. This was just too much to think about at one time. She stopped humming and simply waited in silence…there had to be an answer…something that would clear all this up.

_Yo, Danny Fenton he was just fourteen, when his parents built a very strange machine_

Sam snapped back to attention when she heard that voice. Her eyes met Danny's shimmering blue ones. He was smiling.

_It was designed to view a world unseen_

"You're awake," Sam smiled and hugged him gently, before she pulled away to hide a blush. She was showing him her feelings way too much lately.

"Yeah," Danny blushed too. He didn't mean to fall asleep on Sam…it just sounded…wrong.

"Sorry…about, falling asleep." He carefully moved away from her, ignoring the pain in his limbs.

"That's okay," Sam absentmindedly brought a hand to her neck, but quickly brought it down when she realized that was what Danny did when he was nervous.

"Uh…so…where-where are the others?" Danny tried to change the subject.

"In the lab…how are you feeling?" Sam brought her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees.

"Umm…better than…before I passed out," Danny smiled weakly and tried to bring himself into the same position, but decided against it after feeling the effects.

"Are you hungry?" she asked...trying to get his thinking back to normal.

Danny shook his head. He didn't think he should eat anything right now…his body wouldn't agree with it.

"Oh…okay," Sam led them into an awkward silence, until Danny tried to stand up. Sam gasped and jumped, just barely catching him before he hit the floor. She pulled him back unto the couch.

"Don't try to stand," Sam laughed a little. He should have known already that he wouldn't be able to.

"Thanks," Danny's stomach growled and he brought his hand to it automatically.

"Not hungry?" Sam crossed her eyes and raised an eye brow. Danny smiled. Once again, he had given himself away. She could always figure out when he was lying.

Sam smiled back and stood up, "I'll get you something to eat." She left him to his thoughts.

Danny sat back and tried to piece together the week's actions. Why would the ghosts overshadow all the girls? It was a good opportunity, but he never knew they were that smart. Well, except Vlad, he was probably the master behind it all. They didn't kill him yet, which means this poison would, or they would be coming back.

He turned towards the kitchen as a glass plate broke and a small scream was heard.

"Sam!" Danny knew that scream. Sam was in trouble.

"Dan-" someone covered her mouth and all Danny could hear after that were a few muffled cries.

Danny shot up from the couch and ended up falling flat on his face. He groaned and lifted himself up with his left arm, and grabbed the side of the coffee table. He stumbled over to the kitchen; his cast dragging on the ground as he did so.

His eyes widened when he saw Sam's limp form on the kitchen floor. He went over and kneeled down next to her. He picked her up, her body putting pressure against his ribs, causing pain to shook through his body, but he didn't care. A small trickle of blood ran down her forehead.

"Sam?" Danny shook her, "Sam wake up."

His only response was a groan. He grabbed a towel off the table and dabbed away at the blood.

He took her hand and held it in his, "Sam, please be all right."

"Danny?" her eyes opened just a little, "What…happened?"

"I don't know," Danny said as he squeezed her hand.

Sam's eyes were blank, like she was trying to remember something. Danny helped her stand as he lifted himself up by the table.

"Danny, you need-" she didn't finish as someone rammed Danny in the back, sending him skidding across the floor. He hit the back wall with a painful thud.

"Danny!" Sam tried to run to him, but someone pulled her back.

Danny groaned as he tried to get up. Pieces of glass from the bowl were scattered around him. His chest ached and his back burned. Who knew being the ghost boy would bring so much pain?

He lifted his head to see Vlad's face inches from his. He gasped purely from surprise.

Vlad grabbed Danny by the neck and lifted him up. His red eyes bore into his blue ones.

"Oh please Daniel. Don't say I'm going to beat you like this," Vlad mocked. Danny tried to break out of Vlad's grasp, but he didn't have the strength. He wanted to go ghost, but his body couldn't even do that.

"Let him go!" Sam yelled from behind him as she struggled against the bond Vlad created around her wrist. She pulled at the counter it was attached to, but couldn't break it.

"Listen here, boy. In a matter of hours, your powers will be faulty. You could release something powerful and dangerous around you family, and you might even kill them. So, I suggest you come to me, to get the antidote. If you don't, then you will kill all of your loved ones and you'll have no choice but to come to me."

Danny stayed still as Vlad's words ricocheted in his brain. There was no way he was going to surrender to Vlad, he'd just have to stay away from his family until he figures out what's going on inside him.

"No..." Danny managed to mutter.

"Very well," Vlad tightened his grip, "But you will come soon, at your own will." He dropped Danny, letting him fall on the shards of glass that covered the ground.

He snickered, "Soon." With that, he vanished into a swirl of red.


End file.
